


Long Dark Fear

by Kalira



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Discord: Umino Hours, Found Family, Gen, Umino Hours Winter Bingo, Umino Hours Winter Bingo 2020-2021, kami - Freeform, longest night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-12 15:34:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29012868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalira/pseuds/Kalira
Summary: The only way for curious young kami to learn about ningen is to walk among them, to see what inspires them and what frightens them - though it is an adventure best undertaken safely under the care of a watchful mentor.
Relationships: Umino Iruka & Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 7
Kudos: 26
Collections: Kalira's Iruka Winter Bingo Stories (2020-2021), The Umino Hours Winter Bingo 2020





	Long Dark Fear

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the space 'Longest Night' on [my Iruka Winter Bingo board](https://kalira.dreamwidth.org/33520.html)!
> 
> I had a very different (and much longer) idea for this which is currently waiting in my WIP files to be finished another time. . . _This_ story/AU seized my muse and I know rather a lot about the background of the world now - it may yet be revisited.

Steps hitching for a moment, Naruto frowned, eying the clearly nervous ningen huddled across the square with her children gathered close. She remained still, but her eyes were darting back and forth, lingering in the shadows cast into the night by the flickering braziers that had been set up everywhere in the village for tonight.

“Iruka-nii?” Naruto asked, tugging at Iruka’s kimono.

Iruka cocked his head, turning enough to meet Naruto’s gaze. “Yes, Naru-kun?”

Naruto sidled up against him. “Why are the ningen so . . . _weird_?” he asked softly, looking around and then back up to Iruka.

“I thought you said they were always strange.” Iruka said, lips twitching. Naruto pouted up at him.

“It’s _different_ tonight though.” Naruto said staunchly. “What is it?”

“Ningen are foolish creatures.” Iruka said, eyes flickering with a glittery light that reminded Naruto of the clouds that surrounded the amaji. It was gone again immediately, leaving Iruka looking as human as could be; Naruto marvelled a little at the ease he displayed in such guise.

It was Iruka’s presence at his side, and the smallest tendril of his own power, that was offering the security that kept Naruto in this form. He could change his appearance, of course, easily - but his control was prone to rippling, and once he lost it, he _lost_ it, and his true self spilled out.

Naruto sighed despondently, and Iruka rubbed his far shoulder, drawing him in closer, keeping him tucked under Iruka’s arm in a cosy, warm hold. Naruto nestled there happily, basking - just a little - in having Iruka all to himself for a little while. He loved all of his family, and he didn’t mind sharing _his_ Iruka - not with his ‘siblings’ and not with Iruka’s partners, who had been his long before Naruto - but it was still nice to be here with just Iruka.

“They’re _foolish_ but why are they afraid?” Naruto asked after a moment, watching a group of children who were about the age he currently appeared to be. _They_ weren’t afraid - or not any more than children often were, in such a break of routine, with the night-dark only barely held at bay by the torches and braziers - and they were playing, continuing on in their game even when one of their parents started calling from the sidelines.

Naruto laughed a little, seeing her flare of temper but able to feel the soft warmth of her immediate forgiveness, however stubborn and wild her son was being.

“Do you wish to go play with them?” Iruka asked, stroking a hand over Naruto’s hair and down to rest at the nape of his neck.

“No.” Naruto said honestly, shaking his head. He liked playing games, but . . . not like this, not with frail ningen he would have to lie to by his very existence.

. . .he missed Gaara, and Sai, and Sakura, and the rest of the younger, lesser kami; even Gaara’s bossy nee-san. He didn’t see them often, the ones outside his family - it was rare for the greater kami and the older ones to gather _and_ bring together with them the younger set like Naruto, like _them_ \- but _they_ were his friends, the ones he really played with.

. . .though Temari was old enough, and strong enough - and mean enough, Naruto thought, with an apologetic thought towards Gaara, who adored his sister and certainly wouldn’t think of her as mean, even though she _was_ \- that she joined the older kami herself.

“As you like.” Iruka agreed without pressing for more, and Naruto smiled at him.

Naruto hadn’t _needed_ an older kami to take an interest in him - and he sure as the sun hadn’t _wanted_ one, even less after meeting Gaara’s father - but . . . he was glad Iruka had. He nestled closer again, curling his fingers into Iruka’s sleeve where it draped over his shoulder.

“They’re afraid because it’s dark, and cold, and the sun has turned her face away from them;” Iruka said in a low voice, “they have less and less light, and warmth, and they feel their safety slipping away as the winter closes in. They know it will all come back, but knowledge and trust are very far apart sometimes.” His lips curled slightly, voice rippling with faint amusement. “They are, after all, silly creatures.”

Naruto hummed, shaking his head a little. “Ningen are _weird_.” he said again, and Iruka laughed, stroking his hair. “Are they like this everywhere or is it just these ones?”

“I have not been everywhere.” Iruka said, and Naruto stuck his tongue out. “Be careful, or your face will stick that way.” he said without even _looking_ , and Naruto clamped his jaw back together, looking up at Iruka. His eyes shone briefly once more, and Naruto looked for-

Ah, there. He could see - just barely - the ripple as Iruka _influenced_ the game several adults were betting on just at the edge of hearing range. Naruto made a curious sound, and Iruka hummed, a sharp little smirk playing around his lips.

Naruto could hear them scoffing about the half-forgotten shrines in the forest nearby, and glared at them himself. Lots of people forgot Tenzou - even some of the other kami liked to pretend they did - even though he was really strong _and_ really nice, which Naruto knew rarely went together. Tenzou always told them it didn’t matter, but any one of his family would defend him when they heard-

_Oh._

The insulting tone of the conversation shifted rapidly as the loudest voice lost his bet _spectacularly_.

Naruto laughed, covering his mouth with his wrist, and Iruka looked down with a mischievous gleam in his eye. Then he guided Naruto away while the men fell into squabbling and shouting, knocking over one of the nearby braziers and drawing more people and more shouting, even as the fire it started was quickly put out.

Naruto giggled, sneaking glances back, but didn’t try to linger.

“Your choice next, Naru-kun,” Iruka said, and Naruto looked up at him again, startled, “shall we keep exploring the games down here, or go up to the temple?” he nodded towards the base of the long, long steps at the end of the winding street. Naruto knew the temple was empty - no kami called it home, and none were called to the prayers there, it was only the hopes and wishes of ningen that filled it.

Naruto fidgeted, thinking. He had to press up even closer to Iruka as a drunk ningen stumbled past, barely being supported by a friend.

“Temple.” Naruto said eventually, curious how they marked such a night, having never heard prayers himself on this night.

**Author's Note:**

> Iruka's domain is fortune/luck/chance  
> Naruto's is forgiveness
> 
> (The rest of their little family is made up of Iruka's partners - Kakashi and Tenzou - and Naruto's 'siblings', Sakura and Sai.)


End file.
